Lesbian Fiction ForumI got the Writer's Network News paper the other day and finally got around to reading it today. There is a huge article written by Nicki Leone (board president) concerning the Sobol Award and its validity.
Here's the problem contest in a nutshell:
- Sobol Award will grant $100,000 (and a contract with the Sobol Literary Enterprises, Inc.)to the top winner, $25,000 to the second, and $10,000 to the third prize. Winners 4-10 will receive $1000.
- The registration cost is $85. To be paid only by credit card on-line, non-refundable.
- Entrants reaching a certain level must sign a statement saying something about they will not seek another agent until the contest is over (or something along those lines)
- They are seeking 50,000 entrants, maximum.
- Oh, and the major sponsor/promoter of this contest is Sobol Literary Enterprises, Inc.
Red flags began shooting up almost as soon as the contest was announced. The primary problem with it, the one that has everyone rolling, is that the registration cost is far too similar to a "reading fee", something no legitimate agency would do. Ms. Leone put it so well in her article:
…a practice that goes solidly against the canon of ethics established by the Association of Authors' Representatives (AAR). Under the terms of the AAR, no literary agent is allowed to charge a reading fee to look at a manuscript.
Here are some links to further information.
- The Sobol Award site | official rules (subject to change)
- Absolute Write Water Cooler Forum thread on this subject
- Yahoo! News articles
- Victoria Strauss' thoughts | another Strauss post on Sobol
- MediaBistro's thoughts
- And last, but not least, is Miss Snark herself going off on this topic
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Keywords: Book Sub/Pub, Contests, Agents
last modified: 12/14/06 00:02
